Chapter 76
The next day, as news of Luto’s official proclamation spread, the entire Teganes Castle was swept up in tension and awe.
It was now official—the war between Luto and Hyman was beginning in the west.
Hannibal became too busy with preparations for war to continue visiting Anne every night. Instead, small notes, flowers, and gifts were sent to her in his place. People saw these gestures as proof of his deep and affectionate love for her.
“Well, that’s for the best.”
If they didn’t meet face-to-face, there’d be nothing to shake her heart.
Anne told herself it was all a misunderstanding—a mistake brought on by her own lapse the previous night—and struggled to collect her thoughts.
On the final day of November, when the crisp wind began to freeze over the land, the army of Teganes prepared to march.
Teganes Castle was tense, following closely behind Lord Clade’s lead.
It was a night so heavy with dread that even the air seemed to brace for war. Hannibal gathered everyone inside the keep.
“While I’m away, Victoria Clade will act in my stead as the lord of Teganes. And though she is still only my fiancée, Anne Ferro is without a doubt the lady of this house. I hereby grant her full authority over all household matters and duties within the lord’s manor.”
Though they were only engaged, Hannibal intended to keep his promise—to grant Anne her rightful authority as mistress of the house.
“Anne—no, sister-in-law! You’re the real lady now!”
Victoria squealed excitedly beside her, but strangely, her voice sounded distant and muffled.
Hannibal’s burning eyes were locked solely on Anne throughout his speech.
It was only then that Anne truly realized.
How long had she ignored it? Pretended not to see? Hannibal Clade was in love with Anne Ferro.
Of all people.
He loved Anne Ferro.
Hannibal accepted and acknowledged his feelings.
It had started when he was told to marry a woman from the capital, and all he could think of was Anne Ferro.
No—perhaps it began earlier, when he noticed her cracked fingernails and thought to bring her cream.
Or maybe it was when he couldn’t stop staring at the back of her neatly parted hair—the way she never looked directly at him.
I always wanted to know what expression you wore when you spoke to me… what you thought of me.
He had finally admitted that this feeling was love.
But he would soon head to war. Whether he lived or died was uncertain.
A moment’s carelessness could cost a life. And against an army with mages as well as monsters, Hannibal couldn’t even guarantee his own survival.
So he could not reveal these feelings to Anne Ferro.
Even so, it was difficult to rein in the emotions that kept slipping through. And knowing her sharp instincts, she probably already knew.
“I leave the rights of the lady of the house to Anne Ferro. You’re to follow her orders while I’m gone. Understood?”
He repeated the order in front of the steward, the guard captain, and the servants.
“What am I, just for decoration now? How can you entrust a maid with such authority while the Earl is still alive?”
The Earl exploded, enraged that his son had publicly placed Anne above him.
“She is my fiancée. Didn’t you allow her this position as the future lady of the house? She’s also been managing the household affairs for some time now.”
“Hmph. We’ll see how well she does.”
“Oh, and since Anne will be handling the finances as well, don’t even think of nitpicking to swindle money from her. I’ve set a firm spending limit.”
“You little—!”
At his father’s shout, Hannibal replied with a look of pure annoyance.
“Why don’t you just go back to the capital already? Why are you still here?”
Having already returned from the Witch’s Forest, Hannibal was eager to send his father away as soon as possible.
“And what’s so strange about staying in my own home?”
His belligerent response only deepened Hannibal’s suspicions, but there was no time to argue—he had to lead his army.
He glanced at Anne Ferro with worry in his eyes.
Victoria wasn’t strong enough to shield her. Oliver wouldn’t be able to step in either, not with the Earl’s manipulation behind the scenes.
Anne was wise and capable, and not one to be pushed around easily. But her status was still too precarious—it was only natural to worry.
“Patrick, help Anne. She’ll have more than enough on her plate.”
“Yes, my lord.”
Though Hannibal gave stern orders to the steward and the servants, his departing steps were weighed down with unease.
“Please come back safe.”
Just like that, Anne had become a wife sending her husband off to war.
She smirked inwardly, standing at the grand entrance of the keep in an outfit and shoes that didn’t quite suit her, seeing Hannibal off.
The bittersweet atmosphere must’ve been too much for the Earl, who let out a dismissive snort.
“Stay safe, Anne Ferro.”
If Hannibal was heading into battle, then the place Anne remained would be a battlefield too.
She nodded solemnly, as if she understood what he meant.
Soon the knights departed, followed by the stationed soldiers, draining the keep like a receding tide.
But that was only half the army.
The rest were troops conscripted outside of Teganes. Once combined, their numbers would be significant.
“There really are a lot of soldiers in the west.”
Anne’s voice held a tinge of awe.
In the capital, the emperor’s guard was the largest military force. Nobles typically maintained private troops within their own territories.
Even gathered together, they wouldn’t rival the trained forces of the western army.
“Not just many—every single one is elite.”
Patrick answered with pride.
“And none more so than our lord.”
Of course, Anne had heard the stories in her past life too.
That he always led from the front. That he could behead an enemy commander as easily as tearing paper. That some armies fled at the mere news of his advance.
But she could only imagine the amount of blood and sweat it had taken Hannibal to become that feared.
“…There’s nothing more a territory could ask for than a lord like that, right?”
Anne asked softly. Patrick responded with a confident smile.
“Of course.”
As the horses thundered past the castle gates, clouds of dust rose high into the sky.
Watching the procession, Anne silently prayed for the safety of the man leading at the front.
War had begun.
At first, the imperial army in the south lingered, doing little to subjugate the monsters and dragging their feet.
Hannibal, occupied with the Luto Empire in the central and northern regions, couldn’t afford to intervene.
As winter fell and the monsters raged, the imperial army suffered massive losses and eventually retreated.
Count Sandor’s forces stepped in and requested aid from Hannibal multiple times.
Reluctantly, Hannibal coordinated both fronts—fighting monsters in the south while keeping the war from breaching Teganes territory.
Then he returned to the central region and resumed battle.
Three winters passed this way.
Knock, knock.
The heavy door creaked, and a maid stepped in, pulling the curtains wide open.
“Good morning, miss.”
Anne winced at the sunlight and groaned.
“Donna, please.”
“It’s been three years, Anne. Still not used to it? What’ll you do if you get married?”
That won’t happen.
She couldn’t say it aloud, but Anne rose from bed.
“I’ll deal with that when it comes. Just talk normally when we’re alone.”
“Alright. Our dear mistress is just so humble~”
Anne smiled faintly as Donna helped her get ready.
A lot had happened in three years. Anne had appointed Donna as her personal maid—someone trustworthy, practical, and easy to be around.
Most importantly, she needed someone who wouldn’t treat her like a noble. Someone who would remind her this position was never truly hers.
Fully dressed, Anne stepped into the hallway.
“Good morning, Miss Anne.”
“Lovely day, Lady Ferro.”
She was now used to greetings from passing staff.
“Has the young lady risen?”
“She went for a walk and went straight to the office.”
“Alright. I’ll deliver the bulletin to her myself.”
Taking the report from a servant, Anne headed straight to the office.
“You’re up early again.”
“Yeah.”
Now in her third year as Hannibal’s proxy, Victoria had become a capable stand-in lord. She greeted Anne from Hannibal’s office desk with a beaming smile.
Gone was the sadness she’d once worn. Her smile was clear and carefree.
She read through the news Anne brought and shared her thoughts.
“It says the emperor’s health is worsening. Do you think the second prince will leave for the capital?”
“Hard to say. The first prince could stir up trouble too… The second prince adapted well to the west and has been a great help. If he returns, we may not get any more reinforcements.”
“Even if that happens, my brother will manage—he always does.”
“True.”
No one could doubt Hannibal Clade’s feats defending the west over the past three years.
Nodding in agreement, Anne glanced at the book on Victoria’s desk.
“Did you finish it?”
“Yeah, it was good.”
The Life of Verody was an autobiography about a man who made a life-or-death pact with a witch and lived happily ever after with his lover.
The romantic tale was popular among the maids, and it was hard to find even a copy in the staff library.
The moment Victoria was given access to the private library as acting lord, Anne had borrowed it right away.
“The butler recommended it because of the contract aspect. I was surprised by how it ended—the pact being nullified was so memorable.”
“I thought so too. Maybe Lady Moira was moved by Verody’s sincerity and granted his wish without demanding a price.”
Verody’s wish was for the happiness of the woman he loved.
After returning from the Witch’s Forest, he confessed his feelings and married her, living in bliss.
Then one day, an accident nearly claimed his life. The witch appeared.
Expecting her to reclaim his soul, Verody braced himself. But she said:
‘Now that your wife’s happiness is you, I can’t bring myself to take you away.’
She congratulated him and left, letting him live.
Anne stroked her chin thoughtfully.
“…Do you think Lady Moira really let Verody’s soul go?”
